Final Resting Place
by Normryl
Summary: This is goodbye, to those that we love. Spoilers for 3.15 and 3.16.


**Title: Final Resting Place**  
**Summary: **This is goodbye, to those that we love  
**Notes: **This is my goodbye to Merle and Andrea.  
**Spoilers:** _**Episodes 3.15 and 3.16. Major spoilers!**_

* * *

_There are no words that I can say, _

_to ease your pain or hide away_

_your failing dreams, your broken bones._

_I have no words to change this day._

* * *

When they got back to the prison, there was just one thing on his mind.

It hadn't been so long ago that he'd bought another body back here and done the exact same thing. And Carol came over to him as he started to cut away the bonds they'd used to tie Andrea's body to the back of the car. But then she saw the people from Woodbury and she drifted away.

And he watched them descending from the bus too, for a few moments, because he couldn't do this alone. Yet, it wasn't fair to interrupt anyone else' moment.

And then she was there. Michonne.

Face betraying the deep sadness she felt over her friends loss.

The others started to head inside and soon enough it was just them, Rick hanging back still.

"Ya wanna do this?" Daryl asked her.

And she nodded.

"Need help?" Rick asked.

And Daryl shook his head. "We got it."

So between them, Daryl and Michonne carried Andrea's body, wrapped in the brown blanket that Tyresse had found at Woodbury, down towards the rest of graves they had for their fallen.

T Dog and Lori's were their first. And once they realised she survived, they changed Carol's to be a marker for Oscar and Axle. Because they had been good men. They'd done their best.

And the day before, Rick had helped Daryl bury Merle. Because he couldn't do it alone.

But he made the marker for his grave himself. Michonne cut down any walkers that strayed near, keeping a silent guard.

And once the grave was filled, Rick left Daryl to have his own time to say goodbye.

Now they were here again.

Same process, different body.

And when a walker started to close in, Daryl knew they'd need to lay Andrea down so he could take care of it, but a quick efficient shot from one of the watchtowers downed the walker, and they continued.

They lay Andrea's body down at the foot of the other's graves. A pickaxe and shovel and they went to work on the grave. Daryl wielded the pickaxe, let Michonne do the digging, just as Rick had let him dig Merle's grave.

There were just some things you had to do for those you loved.

Soon enough the hole was dug deep enough and Michonne sat, not ready to commit Andrea's body to the ground. And Daryl waited, his attention drifting to the grave beside hers.

The first time he'd seen Merle in maybe a year was the first day he saw Andrea again after the months she'd been separated from them.

And he reached his hand out and touched the cross. Thought back to their last conversation yet again. Had already run through it in his mind a dozen times.

"You were the first thing on his mind, you know?"

Daryl looked over to Michonne who was sat watching him. "When we were taken to Woodbury, he asked about you, if you'd made it. Was still thinking about you when he took me to that deal. Wanted to do something so he'd be accepted in the group. He couldn't see another way in."

Daryl nodded, looked down at his brothers grave. Damn it hurt. More than anything he'd ever felt before. She didn't think he was going to say anything back, but after a length of time, he found his voice.

"I'm just glad he didn't go through with it."

"It's funny, in their own ways, they both died trying to stop this war. To stop people from dying," Michonne said. Maybe Merle had only wanted to save his brother, but he still died trying to do that. That was noble enough.

"One calling for war, the other peace," Daryl acknowledged. Michonne nodded slightly. "We should let her rest." He said, nodding towards Andrea's body.

Michonne stood and they both carefully lowered the body into the ground.

Her final resting place.

"She's with her sister now," Michonne whispered. "Amy."

Daryl nodded. "Yeah," was all he said.

And that reminded her. Of Merle. Of when they'd first seen him in that room at Woodbury. "Back at Woodbury, Merle talked about before The Governor found him. Said he thought he'd die out there but he'd wait on the other side for you,"

Daryl saw the tears in her eyes. Not for Merle, but their losses were still theirs. They still hurt.  
He simply nodded. "I'll go get the others. They'll wanna say their goodbyes."

And with that he left her.

She stood on shaky legs, shovel in hand and stared down at her friend. The first person she'd allowed in to her life in so long, and this was how it ended? She closed her eyes and felt the hot tears run down her face.

No. She wouldn't feel pity for her loss. She wouldn't let Andrea's memory be that.

She would be grateful that through her, she found this group. This complicated mess of people who held one another through their grief and would die for one another.

Just like Merle did.

Just like Andrea did.

For Daryl and for her.

She wiped her tears that blurred her vision and looked round behind her.

Daryl wasn't making much progress in his trip back to get the others. Instead he was taking out the walkers in the field. Giving her more time.

She let out a deep breath and started to fill the grave.

_It's time for you to go. _

**A/N:** I'd just like to say how truly amazing Laurie Holden and Michael Rooker were in the roles they played in Season 3. Those two characters will be missed by all their fans.  
And in those wonderful final moments, Danai and Norman were also amazing, bring those relationships and that love between the characters and the loss is caused them to life.  
Stellar cast.  
Bring on season 4.


End file.
